Since the school by virtue of the regulations of the RIASP and its Committee on Athletics has some control over what students do out of school after school hours, it would seem important that school authorities be aware of the kinds of organized competitive athletics their students participate in on their own. Various leagues are sponsored by a wide variety of community groups. If the same consideration for the health, safety, and education of the young people is not followed by these community sponsors, the health and safety of students might be impaired. The school's interest and concern with this problem should be made known and appropriate guidance given to the community sponsoring groups.

No student below Grade 9 will be allowed to practice or play with any high school freshman, junior varsity or varsity team.

Section 2. DEFINITION OF A GAME

A game is any competition between two or more schools, i.e. RIIL League or non‑league RIIL games exclusive of scrimmages, which meets any of the following conditions:

teams wearing game uniforms

there is an admission charge, either by sale of tickets, or by collection, or by donation; and/or, results of the contest appears in any newspaper.

A scrimmage shall be defined as a controlled practice supervised by coaches which does not meet any requirements for a game.

Schools are required to submit and list all varsity games (League and Non-League) on the RIIL online team schedule at www.riil.org. This includes any out of state games that have been approve and sanctioned by the RI Interscholastic League.

CLOSING DATE: Immediately after RIIL games have been concluded except meets or tournaments sanctioned by the RIIL to determine championships.

Number of League games and Non-League games:

# of League Games

# of Non- League Games

Total # of games (cap)

14

4

18

15

3

18

16

3

19

17

3

20

18

2

20

Notes:

For B/G Volleyball a tournament that runs over the course of one day is equivalent to one (1) game against the cap.

(Game cap in soccer is 20)

For Football: During the regular season and post season, no football player is allowed to participate in more than ninety (90) minutes of full contact practice per week.

These contact levels are defined below:

Air: Players should run unopposed without bags or any opposition

Bags: activity is executed against a bag, shield or pad to allow for a soft-contact surface, with or without the resistance of a teammate or coach standing behind the bag.

Wrap: Drills run at full speed until contact, which is above the waist with the players remaining on their feet.

Thud: Same as wrap but tempo is competitive with no pre-determined winner and the players are not tackling to the ground.

Fundamentals for Minimizing Head Impact Exposure and Concussion Risk in Football

Full-contact should be limited during the regular season. For purposes of these recommendations full-contact consists of both “Thud” and Live Action” using the USA Football definitions of LevelsofContact.

Rationale: By definition, “Thud” involves initiation of contact at full speed with no pre-determined winner, but no take-down to the ground. Accordingly, the task force supports that initial contact, particularly with lineman, is just as violent with “Thud” as with “Live Action.” However, the task force also recognized that “Live Action” likely carries a higher risk for other injuries to the body than does “Thud.” The USA Football Levels of Contact “Air,” Bags” and “Control” are considered no- or light-contact and thus no limitations are placed on their use.

PRE-SEASON HEAT-ACCLIMATIZATION RULES FOR ALL FALL SPORTS

Intent: To provide pre-season acclimatization rules prior to the season for student athletes with the purpose of minimizing injury and enhancing the player’s health, performance, and well-being.

Core Principals:

Acclimatization Period: The first six days of RIIL approved practice will consist of no more than three (3) hours of practice time.

For Field Hockey, a goalie helmet may be worn on the first two days. Beginning on the third (3rd) day, full protective (field hockey goalie) gear is permitted

Recommend cold water immersion tubs on site for warm weather activities.

Scrimmages/Games:

A student/athlete shall not be permitted to participate in a scrimmage until he/she has completed five (5) days of practice for all sports. Football: Full pads after five (5) days.

Number of practices (prior to the first game) is ten (10). The first 5 days – no scrimmages; during the next 5 days scrimmages would be allowed. Games (in accordance with our rules) may begin on the 11th day of practice

Rest Period: During the first 14 days – No Sunday practices, games, scrimmages, walk-throughs, or other athletic activity.

3 – 5 Practice Rule: Days 8 – 13. The maximum allotted time per day for practice is 5 hours. A 5-hour practice day may not be followed by a practice day greater than 3 hours; therefore, practice days may follow a 3hr-5hr-3hr-5hr format.

Recovery Period: On days 6-14 a minimum of a three (3) hour recovery period must be provided after any session of greater than 2 hours in length. A three-hour recovery period must be provided before a walkthrough

Double sessions on the same day count as one (1) practice day.

Any student-athlete or transfer student who joins the team after the official starting date or mid-season must have the minimum number of practices as listed above.

Definitions:

Practice – the time a player engages in physical activity. It is recommended that any practice session be no greater than three (3) hours in length. Warm-up-stretching, conditioning, weight training and ‘cool-down’ periods are all considered practice.

Chalk talk, skull sessions, film review are not considered practice time.

Note: Practice sessions may be divided while adhering to the time restrictions as described above in #4.

Example: 3 Hour Day: one 3-hour practice or two 1 ½ hour practices

5 Hour Day: one 3-hour practice and one 2-hour practice or one 2 ½ hour practice and one 2 ½ hour practice

Walk-through – No protective equipment or strenuous activity permitted. Only balls and field markers (cones) may be used.

Check “Heat Index” before and during practices regularly.

www.riil.org: Visit this web site for further information on heat injury/illness as it pertains to the adjustment of practice times.

Heat Index Record SportLevel_______

Date

Practice

Time

Weather

Check Time

Temp

Humidity

Heat

Index

Activity

Revision

Signature

***Using the scale provided, activity should be altered and/or eliminated when the following conditions are present.

Under 95° Heat Index

Maximum of 6 hours of practice today.

Provide ample amounts of water.

Water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as the desire.

Watch/monitor athletes for necessary actions.

95° to 99° Heat Index

Maximum of 5 hours of practice today

Recommendation: Consider postponing practice to later in the day.

Practice length a maximum of 3 hours.

Mandatory 3-hour recovery period between practices.

Contact sports and activities with additional equipment-Helmets and other possible equipment removed if not involved in contact or necessary for safety.

Provide ample amounts of water.

Water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

Watch/monitor athletes for necessary action.

100° to 104° Heat Index

Maximum of 5 hours of practice today

Recommendation: Consider postponing practice to later in the day.

Practice length a maximum of 3 hours.

Mandatory 3-hour recovery period between practices.

Alter uniform by removing items if possible – Allow for changes to dry t-shirts and shorts.

Contact sports and activities with additional equipment-Helmets and other possible equipment removed if not involved in contact or necessary for safety.

Reduce time of planned outside activity as well as indoor activity if air conditioning is unavailable

Provide ample amounts of water.

Water should always be available and athletes should be able to take in as much water as they desire.

Watch/monitor athletes for necessary action.

Above 104° Heat Index

Recommendation: Stop all outside activity in practice and/or play, and stop all inside activity if air conditioning is unavailable

In general, athletes do not voluntarily drink sufficient water to prevent dehydration during physical activity.

Drink early, by the time you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Drink before, during, and after practices and games. Specifically, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following:

Drink 16 ounces of fluid 2 hours before exercise.

Drink another 8 to 16 ounces 15 minutes before exercise.

During exercise, drink 4 to 16 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes.

The NFHS SMAC strongly recommends that coaches, certified athletic trainers, physicians, and other school personnel working with athletes not provide or encourage use of any beverages for hydration of these youngsters other than water and appropriate sports drinks. They should also make information on the potential harm and lack of benefit associated with many of these other beverages available to parents and athletes.

A student/athlete shall not be permitted to participate in a scrimmage until he/she has completed five (5) days of practice for all sports.

Games may begin on the 11th day.

2. CLOSING DATE: Immediately after RIIL games have been concluded except meets or tournaments sanctioned by the RIIL to determine championships.

3. Number of League games and Non-League games:

Sport

# of League Games

Maximum # of Games (Cap)

Basketball

18

22

Ice Hockey

18

24

Gymnastics

6

14

Indoor track

4

14

Swim

7

18

Wrestling

16

20

Note: This includes a max of 5 tournaments)

Cheerleading

12

12

3. PRACTICE LIMITATIONS:

Number of practices (prior to the first game) is ten (10). The first 5 days – no scrimmages; during the next 5 days scrimmages would be allowed. Games (in accordance with our rules) may begin on the 11th day of practice.

Double sessions on the same day count as one (1) practice day.

Any student-athlete or transfer-student who joins the team after the official starting date or mid-season must have the minimum number of practices as listed above for each sport.

Student-athletes who participate in fall sports and come out for winter sports shall be exempt from practice limitations and conditioning periods.

4. The official start time for winter sports (boys’ and girls’ basketball and wrestling) will be 7:00 pm. However, schools may schedule their home contests at a different time, provided they contact the visiting school to confirm the starting time.

Teams may allow two (2) catchers and up to eight (8) pitchers (Grades 9 – 12) to report one week prior to the start of the spring season. Date to be determined by the RIIL (March 11, 2019).

Pre-season conditioning is for 5 days only. (March 11-15, 2019).

Recommend a pre-season conditioning program developed and coordinated by a certified athletic trainer or other medical doctor.

All athletes must be eligible by all RIIL Rules

Athlete cannot simultaneously be playing on another RIIL team i.e. winter sport.

Start of the Season for Fast Pitch Only:

Teams may allow two (2) catchers and up to four (4) pitchers (Grades 9 – 12) to report one week prior to the start of the spring season. Date to be determined by the RIIL (March 11, 2019).

Pre-season conditioning is for 5 days only. (March 11-15, 2019)

Recommend a pre-season conditioning program developed and coordinated by a certified athletic trainer or other medical doctor.

All athletes must be eligible by all RIIL Rules

2. Number of League games and Non-League games:

# of League Games

# of Non- League Games

Total # of games (cap)

14

4

18

15

3

18

16

3

19

17

3

20

18

2

20

Note 1: For B/G Volleyball a tournament that runs over the course of one day is equivalent to one (1) game against the cap.

Note 2: For Golf: The maximum number of golf matches is twelve (12) i.e. eight (8) league and four (4) non-league.

Note 3: Number of League meets for outdoor track is 4 – Meet Cap is 14.

Note 4: The maximum number of boys lacrosse games in Division I is sixteen (16).

3 PRACTICE LIMITATIONS:

Extend the number of practices (prior to the first game) to 10.

A student/athlete shall not be permitted to participate in a scrimmage until he/she has completed five (5) days of practice for all sports.

Games (in accordance with our rules) may begin on the 11th day of practice.

Double sessions on the same day count as one (1) practice day.

Any student-athlete or transfer-student who joins the team after the official starting date or mid-season must have the minimum number of practices as listed above for each sport.

Student-athletes who participate in Winter sports and come out for spring sports shall be exempt from practice limitations and conditioning periods.

Rescheduling of a game(s) which result in no game(s) being played during the annual spring recess will result in a forfeiture of the rescheduled games.

Notations:

The number of games allowed in each sport for one season does not count the Injury Fund and/or RIIL Playoffs or Sanctioned Championships.

All games and scrimmages out-of-state must be sanctioned by RIIL.

There will be no spring practice for fall sports.

Cancellation or forfeiting of a RIIL contest is not allowed without prior consent and will be subject to penalties as outlined in Article 6.

No RIIL contest will be scheduled to begin before 12 noon on Sundays.

Section 4. NON‑LEAGUE GAMES

Schools are required to submitand list all varsity games (League and Non-League) on the RIIL online team schedule at www.riil.org. This includes any out of state games that have been approve and sanctioned by the RI Interscholastic League.

Section 5. ALL STAR COMPETITION/GAMES

No athletic team from any school shall compete against any all-star team.

The Committee on Athletics may sanction only one all-star game per sport provided the game is played during the regular season of the sport involved.

Section 6.NON-SCHOOL COMPETITION AND LOYALTY TO SCHOOL TEAM

Definition of school sports season ‑ A school sports season shall be defined as the period beginning with the date of the school’s first practice with any part of a sports squad and ending with the school's last contest, including district and state tournament contests, in that sport.

Definition of Organized Non‑School Competition ‑ organized non‑school competition shall be defined as any game(s) which is sponsored by an individual or organization and for which any of the following have been prearranged: coach, official(s), scorer, or team membership.

A member of a school team is defined as a student-athlete who is listed on a freshman, junior varsity, or varsity Eligibility List who is regularly present for and/or actively participates in, all team practices and competitions.

Bonafide members of a school team are prevented from missing a practice or competition to compete with an “out-of-school” team.

If a conflict arises between the high school team practice/competition and an out-of-school practice/competition on the same day, the high school team practice/competition must be honored by the

student-athlete. Priority/loyalty must be given at all times to the high school team practices and contests unless a waiver has been granted by the Principal and Athletic Director ona case-by-case basis.

3. Student-athletes may be a member of and compete for “out-of-school” teams if the conditions set forth in #1, 2, and 3 above are met.

Penalties:

Any student-athlete who is in violation shall be ineligible for the next two (2) consecutive RIIL Leaguecontests in which the student-athlete is a participant. This penalty is effective from the date of his/her last participation in a high school sport and may carry over to the next sports season in which s/he participates.

Any student-athlete who is found to be in violation of the rule a second (2nd) time or subsequent time(s) shall be ineligible for participation for the rest of that sport season. A student-athlete found to be in violation of Article 7, Section 6c at the end of that sport season shall be ineligible for the first two (2) RIIL League contests of the same sport in the following year. If the student-athlete has senior eligibility, s/he shall be ineligible for the first two (2) contests of the next sport in which s/he participates. In both instances, the student-athlete may be declared ineligible for participation in all interscholastic athletics for his/her school for the remainder of the school year.

Section 7.COACHING DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR

During the academic year:

The high school coach(s) may not coach:

a. prospective member(s) of a high school, club, freshman, junior varsity or varsity team during the off season of his/her sport

Schools should obtain and maintain an up-to-date active roster of athletes participating on non-school athletic teams during the school year. The RIIL may request the school(s) to submit the roster of active members of a non-school team should a question of RIIL eligibility arises.

EXCEPTIONS:

Coaches may coach students during the off season who have exhausted their athletic eligibility in their particular sport.

Member school coaches may coach or instruct their son or daughter in the sport they coach during the school year.

BEGINNING IN THE FALL OF 2019

Section 7. Coaching Students in the Off Season During the Academic Year

The RIIL is committed to the philosophy of encouraging students to participate in multiple high school sports throughout the academic year. The interpretation of, and compliance with Article 7 of the rules and regulations of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League shall be in both letter and spirit.

Purpose:

To allow students to seek informal and individualized extra help from high school coaches in the same way teachers may provide extra help for a student academically.

To define allowable out of season individual instruction during the academic year between coaches and students that is consistent with the philosophy of encouraging multi-sport participation on high school teams.

The letter and spirit of these rules are not intended to create an incentive for students to opt out of other high school sports to specialize in a single sport.

Coaches are prohibited from coaching students on non-school teams or any other sport specific coaching activity during the academic year outside of their assigned sport season unless otherwise specified below.

These are minimum standards and the RIIL will support schools that choose to institute a higher standard.

a. Coaches

May only participate voluntarily and without financial gain or compensation.

May participate in informal and individualized instruction with no more than three (3) high school students at any one time or in any one facility.

May participate in informal and individualized instruction with any one (1) student for a maximum of three (3) hours per week. Regularly scheduled instruction is not within the spirit of these rules.

Informal and individualized instruction is open to all students enrolled in the school and eligible to participate by all RIIL eligibility rules and regulations.

All informal and individualized instruction must be sanctioned and approved in advance by the school administration (Principal and/or Athletic Director).

Informal and individualized instruction must not conflict with a student’s in-season sport schedule (practices, games and team commitments).

May coach or instruct their son(s) or daughter(s) without restriction during the academic year.

b. Students

May only participate in informal and individualized instruction voluntarily and at no financial cost or fee to the student.

May only participate in informal and individualized instruction for a maximum of 3 hours per week.

A. Schools may provide students opportunities for Intramurals, weight training and open athletic facilities the school year provided the criteria listed below is followed.

the time and day(s) of the open athletic facilities and weight training are to be made known to the entire student body by the administrator through announcements, bulletin board postings and social media, etc.

the weight training area and athletic facilities must be open to anyone enrolled in the school and must be on a voluntary basis. Coaches cannot mandate attendance of team members or potential team members.

The open athletic facilities cannot precede, follow or be in conjunction with an off-season conditioning program.

During the school year, no coach (including assistants, volunteers, etc.) can be present in any open athletic facilities if students (grades 9-12) are participating in the coach’s out of season sport.

The person(s) in charge of supervising the open athletic facilities may not organize, coach or instruct students in any sport not in season.

Students participating in weight training and open athletic facilities must furnish their own clothing (sweat shirts, shorts, shoes, etc.) No equipment is to be used that is specific and/or unique to any particular sport.

Summer athletic camps that are run by a school and offer financial assistance to athletes, must have the financial assistance program approved by the RIIL

Summer programs involving high school coaches coaching their own students can begin on June 15, of any given school year. Students still involved in RIIL playoffs may not participate until their playoffs have ended.

Summer programs involving high school coaches coaching their own students who will participate on fall teams must complete play prior to the submission of the varsity eligibility list to the RIIL Office.

Students whose names are removed from school's varsity eligibility list are free to participate in outside programs but may not return to play for the school’s varsity teams. However, they may participate in the junior varsity program(s) of that sport.

Students who participate in outside programs as individuals not representing their school nor using school uniforms or equipment do not violate the simultaneous participation rule.

Use of School Equipment during the summer – See Article 6, Section 13.

Captain’s Practice: The term “Captain’s Practice” usually means the team’s captain(s) organizing and conducting, without adult supervision, out-of-season practice for that sport.

The RIIL does not in any way sanction, encourage, or condone “Captain’s Practice” in any sport. “Captain’s Practice”, depending on the member schools’ involvement, may be a clear violation of the rules defining season limitations.

Even though coaches are not present, allowing captain’s practice to be held on school grounds may constitute that the school has organized, encouraged or condoned the activity.

There is also a serious practical consideration. If it can be demonstrated that a school is allowing “Captain’s Practice”, the liability responsibility for an injured athlete may be quite serious.

We strongly recommend that member schools communicate their stance on captain’s practices to coaches, students and parents so that there is no confusion. In many cases, students and parents perceive that this type of activity is organized and administered by the school and there is an obligation for students to participate.

Section 9. NATIONAL FEDERATION SANCTIONS

National Federation Sanction forms are available at the RIIL office and on the RIIL web-site. (http//www.riil.org).